


Adding the In

by KitHourglass



Series: Adding the In [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: AU, Fluff, M/M, More tags to be added, Sastiel - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-19
Updated: 2016-10-15
Packaged: 2018-08-16 01:10:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8080900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KitHourglass/pseuds/KitHourglass
Summary: Castiel and Dean have been best friends for almost eight years. Sam has always hung out with them, and they're always let him. Cas has become as much Sam's best friend as Dean's, and both he and Dean would readily admit that they love both each other and Cas. But at what point is love for your best friend become being in love with your best friend? Is Sam, and for that matter Cas, ready to add the In? Told through five stories, each told three years after the other, how Cas and Sam figure out this strange thing called being in love.





	1. Goodbye Party

**Author's Note:**

> This was edited by the lovely TeamFreeWillAlways.

"It's gonna be weird, isn't it?" Charlie asked, as she poured a bag of chips into a bowl and Sam pulled the cheese balls out of the fridge. "Dean, Cas, Benny and Lisa being gone. Just you, Garth and I. And your friends, Jess and Jo." 

Sam nodded, his throat tight. Both his brother and best friend were going away to college, which was hours away. Dean's friend and girlfriend, Benny and Lisa, were going too. Sam didn't really hang out with anyone else. Except for Jess and Jo, but he was pretty sure Jo only hung out with him because she had a crush on Dean. Dean and Cas were going to different collages, and Sam was worried about Cas. Dean had always been good at making friends, but Cas really just had Dean and Sam. Sure, he hung out with Dean's other friends, but he was awkward and didn't like talking. Sam was kind of the same way, probably the reason the only friends of his own he had were Jess and Jo. 

"Aw, Sam, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you upset. C'mon, let's get this food out and start some Star Wars. This party's gonna be great." She led him out of the kitchen, but Sam's heart was still heavy. It wasn't just a party, it was a goodbye party. Both Cas and Dean were leaving for college tomorrow. He entered the living room, smiling a little despite his heavy heart. Dean's friends and his friends were all gathered in the living room getting ready to start a Star Wars marathon. 

Sam snorted when he saw that all the seats in their living room were full. The sofa, love seat and arm chair were full, the coffee table bursting with food. Dean, Lisa, and of course Jo were on the couch, Garth spread over their laps, looking ridiculous. Benny and Jess were on either side of the love seat, Charlie squeezed in the middle, leaning against Jess, who was laughing. Charlie had her legs in Benny's lap, who was pretending to be annoyed, but clearly fond. Cas was sitting in the arm chair, looking way too pleased with himself for getting his own chair.

But oh, Sam wasn't gonna let him get away with that. Besides, he wasn't going to sit on Jess's lap. She could sit on his, but he would crush her. Cas, on the other hand . . . 

Cas let out a "oof!" of surprise when Sam plopped on to his lap with a plate full of food and started the TV. "Sam," Cas said, pretending to be mad, "You are not a puppy, and you are much bigger than I am." 

Sam snuggled down and looked up at Cas with his best puppy eyes. "Are you sure I'm not a puppy?" Cas sighed. Sam had spent plenty of time throughout his childhood on both Dean and Cas' laps. He loved human contact, and was a rather touchy feely person. Cas huffed, but tangled their legs together and wrapped his arms around Sam. 

Mary poked her head into the living room. "We'll be back around one, don't stay up too late." Dean grinned at his mom. "We won't!" Mary shook her head, but went out the door with John.

"Dean, tell your brother he isn't a puppy!" Cas called to Dean across the room as the movie began. Dean looked over at Sam, burrowed in Cas' arms, trying to look small. Sam gave him the puppy eyes. Dean just laughed. "Sorry Cas, I'm smashed in between two people with a dude on my lap, I ain't coming to save you. Now shut up and watch the movie." Cas fake glared at his best friend, then pulled Sam's head on to his shoulder so he could actually watch the movie. Sam smiled. He was content, for now. 

 

Dean looked around the tiny room; Sam, Cas, Mary and John all somehow squeezing into it with him. If Dean's roommate got here while they were still in there, he would be hard pressed to actually get in. 

His boxes were stacked on top of his bed. "Well, it's not that small." Sam look at his brother incredulously. It looked pretty darn small to him, he was in a corner with his mother, and Cas was sitting on the desk. They were driving Cas to college in addition to Dean, as Cas' rarely present father wouldn't. His brother Gabe or his sister Anna would have done it, but they were both on the other side of the country in New York.  Dean's college was only an hour away from their house, in Kansas city, while Cas' nearly was eight since it was in Chicago. Sam would see his brother some weekends and the holidays. Though they only had one car, they could pick Dean up on weekends, and Sam was sure Dean would get a car soon. Cas didn't have the money, so they only time he could come home was either when Gabe or Anna drove him, or the Winchesters picked him up, and it was too long for a weekend. Sam wished, not for the first time, that Cas had stayed closer to home. 

"Honey," Mary began, but Dean just shrugged. "Guys, I'll be fine. I can unpack myself. You guys have to get Cas to school, remember." 

Mary sighed. She went forward to hug Dean tightly. "If you need anything call us, and we'll see you next weekend, right?"

Dean rolled his eyes. "Yes, Mom." But he hugged her tightly back. John hugged Dean next, admittedly shorter than Mary, which made the hug a bit more awkward."Bye, Dad." Dean said. Sam and Cas came forward next, and Cas looked like he might tear up a bit. Dean patted his back as they hugged. "Hey, man, it's okay. We'll Skype and talk on the phone all the time. And Sam will call you too. You'll do great." Cas nodded, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. Sam hugged Dean next.

"Have fun, and call me, and don't get too drunk." Sam muttered into his brother's shoulder. Dean snorted. "You're not Mom, Sammy. But I won't do anything Cas would faint at." Sam laughed, his voice a little muffled. 

After a few more beats, Dean said, "Sam, you can let me go, I'm going to college not war. I'll be home next weekend." Sam nodded. He started to pull away, and Dean gripped his arms and murmured into his ear, "Look out for Cas. I probably won't be able to drop everything and run, so if he needs something, steal a car and drive there." 

"Dean, I can't drive yet, I'm fifteen." Sam said quietly. 

"You'll figure it out." Dean said, then released him. Dean grinned at them. "Go on, get on the road." They nodded, and waved to Dean as they trampled out of the room. Cas was sniffing a little, so Sam grabbed his hand and twined their fingers together. Cas gave him a grateful smile. 

 

Cas and Sam fell asleep on each other in the car on the way to Chicago. When they arrived, Sam and Cas somewhat ruined their carrying abilities by gripping each others hands. 

"We're acting like preschoolers on their first day." Cas muttered to Sam, surveying the campus of the quad in front of the dorms. They had finished taking the boxes up, with the help of Cas' roommate, a funny English guy called Balthazar. He hadn't blinked at the tightly clasped hands of Cas and Sam. 

Sam chuckled. "Preschool was less scary." Cas snorted, but didn't disagree. Balthazar had left them alone to say goodbye, out on the campus. John and Mary hugged Cas (who finally let go of Sam's hand). John cautioned him about the city, and Mary asked for the third time if he was sure he didn't want to have a late dinner with them before they drove back to Lawrence. Cas said wanted to have Balthazar show him around campus and eat dinner with his friends. "I might actually meet people," Cas laughed ruefully. 

"You'll make tons of friends, Cassie, and if you ever need anything, you know you can call us right?" Mary said, as she embraced Cas again, kissing him on the cheek. Cas' eyes welled up with grateful tears. "Thank you, Mrs. Winchester." Cas said. And Sam realized with painful clarity that they were really his only family. Anna and Gabriel were a long way away, and had been for most of Cas' high school years. He had spent more time at their house then his own, slept in Dean's bed with Sam on one side, Dean on the other more than once.. Cas was as much Mary and John's son as Sam and Dean. And he was going away from all of them. 

John clapped Cas on the shoulder, and Sam almost flung himself in to Cas' arms, tears silently falling down his face. Cas was crying too, and he squeezed Sam tightly. When they broke apart, Sam laughed. "We're acting like you're going to Mars." 

Cas half smiled at him. "As far away as I am, I might as well be." Sam grabbed his hands. "Don't, c'mon, you've been wanting to go to school here forever, you'll do great. And we'll see you at Christmas, and call you and Skype. Don't worry." 

Cas took in a shuddering breath. "Well, I'll figure it out. Bye guys, drive carefully in the dark!" Cas called. Sam smiled. That was a familiar thing about Cas. He could compose himself quickly. Cas didn't get emotional a lot. But when he did, he composed himself, unlike Sam who was usually a quivering mass of jelly. 

Cas turned and walked to the door of the dorms, turning only once to wave. The three of them waved back. 

"Bye, Castiel." Sam whispered, using Cas' name for the first time in a long time. He knew he was going to cry when he got home. 

He did. 

So did Cas.


	2. Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three years later.

The soft notes of the First Noel came from the record spinning around on the player Dean has insisted they keep. Sam barely heard it, and he wasn't very helpful in the proceedings of the day. It was two days before Christmas and both Sam and Dean had come home from college to their childhood home. Sam's first year of college hadn't been as horrible as he had thought it would be. Yes, he was away from his mom and dad, but Sam was ambitious and had wanted to get out of the house for a while. He hated being so far away from Dean and Cas too, but he had been for the past three years anyway. Eighteen years old, studying law at one of the best schools in the US. Of course, no one but him was surprised when he got in. 

The first year of Dean and Cas' colleges, Sam had called both of them almost everyday. They had both come home for Christmas, and Cas had stayed with them. That summer the three of them had been inseparable. The next year it was repeated, though Cas went to stay in New York with Gabriel and Anna for Christmas. The next summer, Sam had been sweating over college, and hadn't gotten to see Cas as much. And when he went away to Stanford, (with Jess by his side thankfully) he didn't get to see Dean on weekends, and with all the studying, Sam hadn't been able to call his brother or his best friend nearly enough. 

But now it was almost Christmas, Dean had arrived this morning, and Sam had come home last night. Cas was arriving that evening, and was going to stay till a little past New Year. And Sam was going to make the most of the time he had. He was perhaps a little too excited to have Cas come. 

"Sam! Decorating is not getting done with you bounding around the house like that. Cas'll get here when he gets here, k?" Dean scolded from where he was hanging evergreen on the stairs. 

"Right! Sorry! Coming!" Sam yelled and ran out of the kitchen where John was baking with Mary and to Dean, sliding across the floor like a puppy who hadn't grown into it's paws yet. "I just haven't seen him in months, not even over Skype, and we text, but I have-" 

Dean sighed. "Sam, I know, I miss Cas too. Relax, you will get Christmas Cartoons in bed. Maybe not my bed though." Sam looked shocked. "But we always watch cartoons in your bed!" 

"Some how," Dean said, as he finished the stairs, "I don't think that I want to be around you and Cas in a bed." 

"What? Why?" Sam asked, a look of pure puzzlement on his face. 

Dean sighed, and patted his head. "You'll understand when you're older Sammy." he walked out of the room. Sam stood staring for a few moments before he realized what his brother had meant. "Dean!" Sam yelled running after him. "We aren't dating! Why does everyone think we're dating?!" 

 

"Ding dong!" The doorbell rang three hours later, and Sam and Dean ran to the door, slipping over each other and the freshly cleaned floor (curtesy of Sam, who had forgotten he had done it) and sprawling on the floor. Mary calmly walked out of the kitchen and stepped over her grown sons and opened the door. "Hello, Cas!" She smiled, pulling him into a hug. 

"Merry Christmas, Mrs. Winchester, Mr. Winchester," Cas said, nodding to John who had just stepped out of the kitchen, looking disgruntled and covered in flour, though he looked happy to see Cas. Cas stepped inside the house, and nearly tripped over Sam and Dean. Sam sprang up to wrap his arms around Cas, Dean squeezing him from the other side.

"Ah. Um. As enjoyable as it is to see both of you, I cannot breath." Cas said, though he sounded fond. Sam and Dean grinned at each other over Cas' head, then squeezed him a little tighter, till he made an undignified sound. They finally stepped back after Mary gave them a disapproving look. Cas took in a few exaggeratedly deep breathes. "I hope you didn't decorate the tree with out me?" Cas asked softly, reaching out with either hand to take Sam and Dean's in turn. 

"We would never." Dean said. "Except last year when someone didn't come over." Sam glared at Dean. "It wasn't Cas' fault, Dean." 

"Joking!" Dean held up his free hand defensively. "C'mon, let's go get this tree, which is shorter than my brother." 

Sam rolled his eyes, but let Dean drag them to the living room. While Dean and Cas were chatting about school, Sam dug through the Christmas boxes. "Ah ha!" He called as he found his prize. He held up a blue stocking with Castiel stitched on it. "I found your stocking Cas!" 

"We're twenty-one, do we really need stockings?" Dean asked. Sam gasped. "Dean! It is tradition! And I'm eighteen, and still need to have my stocking get stuffed from Santa Claus." 

"Sam," Dean began, face palming himself. 

Sam held up his hands. "I'm still in denial, let me enjoy it, I've only been eighteen for seven months, I'm still a child." 

Cas smiled at him softly, running over to take the stocking. He smiled at it. "I always loved this thing. What did I do to deserve you guys?" 

Sam pulled him into his arms, tucking Cas' head under his chin, closing his eyes. When he opened them, Dean was looking at him with such a softness in his features, Sam remember only a few times he had ever seen that expression on Dean's face. When Dean caught him looking he rolled his eyes. "Probably insulted some babies." Cas pulled away and swatted Dean on the arm. "Not what I meant, assbutt." Dean snickered at Cas' traditional insult. 

They continued to decorate the tree, and hang up the stockings, even Dean's. Afterwards, they goofed off in the living room until Mary called them to dinner. It was a simple enough meal, as the real fancy one would come tomorrow night, but Cas brightened up the whole table, though he didn't talk a lot, answering questions about his brother and sister, school, and briefly if he had met anyone. 

"Ah- um, no. I did meet a new friend though, a girl named Meg. A trouble maker, but clever as anything." There was admiration in his voice, and Sam felt a spark of jealousy go through him. He shook it off just as quickly. What did it matter? If Cas liked her as more then a friend, then of course he should be happy. Sam scolded himself. He didn't own Cas. 

Mary merely smiled, at Cas. And then at- Sam? Wait, what? The next line of questioning was about Lisa. Cas and Sam exchanged a look across the table. Lisa and Dean had broken up the past summer. It was amazing they had stayed together for two years after college, but something, Sam didn't know exactly what, had caused them to split up.

Dean shifted. "Lisa and I- are not- we're not together anymore." John looked up from his potatoes, looking concerned, and Mary asked, "Oh, honey, what happened?" 

He looked down. "Not- not right now Mom, please." Dean said. Mary nodded, still looking worried. Sam quickly changed the subject to law school and his friends at school. When Sam, Dean and Cas were going to head up to "bed" John asked if Cas needed any extra blankets. "If you're gonna try to sleep in Dean's bed with those two, who are both much bigger then the last time you did it, you may end up on the floor, so blankets would be good." 

Cas laughed. "I'll just go and sleep in Sam's room if they kick me out of the bed." 

"The tables have turned!" Dean called. When ever they had sleepovers when they were kids, Cas would sleep with Dean, and Sam would sneak in. He had not stopped doing it as they got older and they got bigger. That's how Christmas evening cartoons on the old TV in Dean's bedroom, and later a laptop had gotten started. 

"We'll probably just follow you in there and sleep on you." Sam said. 

Cas fake groaned, then dashed up the stairs with his bags. "Well, good for you, but I get first shower!" Sam and Dean groaned. Cas loved showers, and he took long ones. Sam and Dean raced up the stairs after him, but alas he got to the bathroom first and locked the door behind him. "I will get you, Castiel!" Dean yelled. 

"You'll have to wait till I get out then!" Cas called back. "Are you forgetting we can pick locks?" Sam asked. "While I'm naked?" Cas said innocently. Dean guffawed while Sam cursed, and they admitted defeat, going to Dean's bed room to wait. 

An hour of video games and Cas in the shower later, the water shut off, and Sam and Dean lurked outside like the creepers they were, both desperate to get in the shower next. Sam knew that if he didn't get one next, he would have to wait till tomorrow. There was not going to be any hot water left. 

"You decent Cas? I'm sure Sammy wouldn't mind, but I'd rather not." Sam snorted, and Cas said nothing, though he was almost sure he was rolling his eyes. He opened the door. "No, Dean, I'm going to come out stark nak-" He began, but didn't finish as Dean shoved him aside and leaped into the bathroom Cas stumbled, and as Sam knew the shower was lost, he tackled Cas. Cas yelped as he went down, reaching up grab at Sam's back for purchase as he fell. Sam landed quite neatly on top of him and grinned. "Got ya." 

Cas sighed, his eyes amused and- something else. It was at that moment that Sam realized Cas' face was flushed from the steam of the shower, his hair sticking up in wet clumps, and his grey sweatpants riding low on his hips. Sam blushed, and pulled off his friend. "Ah, sorry. But I had to take my anger of losing a shower out on someone." He said, standing up and offering Cas a hand up. Cas took it, and Sam tried not to stare to much before he excused himself to go change. What had that been all about? 

 

John was right, they did not fit on to the bed. Sam ended up laying on the floor halfway through the night, which Dean insisted was best because Sam didn't have old bones like Dean and Cas. Sam had hit him with a pillow, and went back to sleep. 

 

"What did you get Cas for Christmas?" Sam asked his brother in the kitchen while Cas was out in the backyard helping John cut wood. 

"Stationery and ink. What did you get him?" 

Sam bit his lip. "I have no idea if he'll like it." Dean raised a brow, rolling the dough for pie. "You know what he likes. Books, paper, pens, ink, sweaters, jewelry, food-" 

"Yeah, Dean. I know. I just-" He paused, then told Dean his present. "What do you think?" Sam asked, worrying his sleeve with his fingers. 

"He'll love it, Sam." Dean said, smiling gently at his brother. "Now mash the potatoes." Sam sighed, "Thanks Dean." 

 

They exchanged presents that evening after Christmas Eve dinner, complete with apple pie courtesy of Dean. John and Mary sat on the love seat while the three of them sat on the couch, joined at the hip as usual. Sam had his head in Cas' lap, and Cas was running his fingers through Sam's hair. Dean and Sam got their mother new gardening tools, and their dad a fancy pocket knife. Cas gave Mary perfume which smelled like old paper, the smell of books which they both loved. He got John a leather bound collection of Jules Verne. Dean got several new records, ones that weren't made anymore, and Sam got him a book of Classic singers, while Cas got him a huge cashmere sweater, with Dean's name stitched on the back.

"Sooooo soft." Sam said, trying to steal the sweater from Dean. "Nope, mine. Now open your own presents." Dean had given him a bunch of notebooks, and John and Mary had given him a collection of old black and white movies. When it was Cas' turn, he shyly grinned and handed Sam a lumpy package. It contained a beautiful black cashmere sweater, with a rose stitched on the back, pattered so it looked like stained glass. Wrapped in the sweater was a dvd of Beauty and the Beast, Cas and Sam's favorite Disney movie. 

"Cas! It's beautiful. Did you get this custom?" He asked, tracing the rose on the black sweater. Cas nodded. "They were very confused about what I wanted at first, but I like how it came out." 

Sam knew it must have cost a lot of money, but he didn't mention it, instead sitting up and wrapping Cas in his arms. When they broke apart, Sam grinned sheepishly, and Dean gave Cas his present as Sam pulled on the sweater. Cas loved the stationary and ink, and the books John and Mary gave him. When it was Sam's turn, he blushed and handed Cas the small package, hugging the DVD to his chest, warm in his sweater. Cas slowly removed the box from it's wrapping, and opened it to see a pair of sliver earrings, shaped like wings. 

Cas gasped, lifting them. "Sam, they're beautiful, thank you." He hugged Sam, then removed the earrings he was already wearing and put the wings in. They were as beautiful as Sam had imaged they'd be. 

 

Later that night, laying in bed watching Christmas cartoons, Sam curled into Cas, and Dean almost falling off the bed. When the shows were over, and Cas and Sam had fallen asleep, Cas spooning Sam, Dean picked up the laptop and moved to Sam's bedroom. His brother and best friend. Both idiots. They couldn't see what everyone else knew.


	3. Stanford

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And three years after that.

"Fine! I don't care!" Sam yelled, throwing his hands up, resisting the urge to throw something, Brady did not seem to be able to resist as well, throwing a empty bottle of beer against the wall. "I'm getting my stuff. I should have never trusted you after you went out with that slut." His now ex-boyfriend said. 

Sam wanted to punch him. "How dare you call Ruby that. She's my friend. And you have no right to call any woman that, doesn't matter how many people they do or don't sleep with." Sam said, clenching his fists. Brady stormed past him into the bedroom gathering his stuff. Sam didn't know what to do. He had been dating Brady for six months and they lived together. Not to mention that Sam wouldn't be able to cover the cost of the apartment by himself, and he still had school to pay for. What had he been thinking with Brady? Jess had insisted she didn't like him, and Ruby, who Sam had very briefly hooked up with had hated him with a passion.  Maybe if Dean had met this guy Sam would have listened. Maybe if Cas had met him. 

Sam groaned, and walked to the other room to sit down on the sofa. He had been ignoring the signs because for the first time he had someone more then a hook up and a few dates, and the sex was awesome. But that didn't make a relationship. And when Brady started acting overly possessive, and violent, and almost hurt Jess, Sam knew he had to get the hell out. So he broke up with him, which had gone swimmingly Brady stormed out of the room and made for the door. "Don't come crying back to me, Winchester." 

Sam snorted. "Bye, Brady!" Now. Rent. 

 

Sam had never had trouble with rent before. He had lived in the dorms for two years and then got a place with Brady. Now that they were split up (thank goodness) he had to pay the whole rent.   He thought about asking his parents for money till he got a roommate, he knew they would do it, but he didn't want to have to ask his mom and dad. Dean was a no go, he was starting out working as a mechanic, and slowly working his way up to getting his own shop. Dean would need every penny. He didn't want to ask Cas, though he knew Cas would gladly loan him the rent, he was a librarian in Chicago, and had enough money. But asking Cas, it just felt embarrassing. Which didn't make sense, Cas would never judge him, but- he wanted Cas to think he was better then that, getting a shitty boyfriend and then having it blow up in his face. No, not unless Cas wanted to move across the country and find a new job to room with him. For some reason, the idea of Cas rooming with him and hearing the story gradually that way, and in person felt better. 

He couldn't ask Jess to be his roommate, she lived with her boyfriend. Besides, she had already listened to his break up story about Brady. Admittedly, he did not cry. It was more like a celebration then a comfort party. The only other person to ask to room with would be Ruby, and Sam did not want to deal with that. Sure, there were classmates and people he hung out with, Ava, Andy, Jake. But not really friends. So he was stuck.

Sam decided to go pick up another shift at the college library where he worked on weekends, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Maybe  he could get enough money. As he was re-shelving some books, his phone buzzed in his pocket. Sam glanced around, then quickly pulled it out to see who was calling. Cas. 

"Hey, man, what's up?" Sam asked quietly into the phone.

"Hello, Sam. I wish I could say this call was because we haven't talked in a while and I wanted to chat, which I do. Check up on you."He paused. "And your boyfriend." Sam gulped guiltily. He really needed to tell them. "Which I look forward to talk about. But I need to ask you a favor." 

"Yeah, anything, what is it, Cas?" Sam said.

"I have rather suddenly been offered a position at Stanford's Library. I flew out to check it out, and it pays well and they want to hire me. They do want me to start Monday though and that's not enough time for me to find an apartment.  I was wondering if you and your boyfriend would mind if I crashed with you for a week or so? I could pay some of the rent if you needed me to."

Sam stared at his phone. "Cas, yes of course you can stay. And- you're saving my life."

 

Cas was understandably upset that Sam hadn't told anyone but Jess about the break up, and that he hadn't asked for help from someone about the rent. His usually calm best friend's mouth was in a thin line, and he was giving Sam a look that mixed concern, anger, worry and disappointment. 

"Why do you have to be so stubborn." Cas asked quietly, not like he was trying to start a fight, just trying to understand. "Your parents would have helped you out, and you know Dean or I would have also."

Sam shifted on the couch of his apartment, where he and Cas were sitting. "I know, Cas. I just felt that I had messed up, so I should handle the consequences. I was the idiot who moved in with Brady in the first place." 

"And when it all fell apart and you needed help, you should have called one of us. The people who care about you don't care that you screwed up with a boyfriend. If you need help paying rent, we'll help. Not forever, but until you're back on your feet." Cas reprimanded.

Cas gave Sam a hard look, hand reaching out to cup his face. "And when you had doubts about Brady, you certainly should have had someone else. And listened to Jess. Or called Dean." He paused, smiling a little. "And I would have personally removed his testicles if he hurt you." 

Sam wasn't sure whether to laugh or be terrified. He settled for a terrified laugh, looking down and letting Cas' hand slide off his face. "That won't be necessary, Cas. Helping me pay rent by staying for a few weeks is enough. And besides, now you work here, I'll get to see you a lot more." Sam was still tempted to tell Cas he didn't have to pay but the last time he had tried that, Cas had given him a look. Which was fair. Sam needed help with rent. 

Cas seemed satisfied. "Speaking of which, where should I put my things? And where should I sleep?" 

"Oh!" Sam said. "I'm a terrible host, we didn't have to talk about all my life problems before we got you comfortable. I have an extra bedroom. No idea why, Jess never liked coming over and you and Dean were both busy. But I have one." He led Cas down the short hall to the bedroom, pretty simple and devoid of personality.  

"It's a little bare, and we'll have to share the bathroom, but I hope it's okay?" 

Cas smiled. "It's fine Sam. I'll look for an apartment, and get my things shipped from Chicago. I'll be out of your hair in a couple weeks." 

 

A couple weeks turned into a month, and a month turned into two. By that time, it was evident that Cas was staying. They enjoyed living together, and worked well together, each paying half the rent. (Though Sam insisted he should pay more, he had bought the place and got the bigger bedroom. Cas had made it very clear he was paying half). Sam enjoyed cooking, and Cas was usless at it, but was fantastic at cleaning, something Sam was bad at. They left at the same time for work and school, and when Sam came to the library, he'd wave to Cas. He even got Cas to hang out with him, Jess and some other people. Cas' books had made their way onto Sam's shelves, and when Dean finally visited, (and heard the story, that he was very fired up about), he said the were acting like an old married couple. 

And if Cas fell asleep in Sam's bed more often then his own, well, no had to know.


	4. Adding the In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And another three years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So so sorry! This is very late. I've been traveling and super busy and got writers block. But it is here at long last. Only one more chapter left, which will be posted ASAP.

Sam Winchester was not in love with his best friend. Nope. He almost had his degree in law, and Sam was not going to let Cas distract him. Cas wouldn't let him. Sam assumed he would have figured out how he felt about Cas if he hadn't be furiously working on his degree since almost immediately after Cas moved in.  
  He had had to study a lot. Cas had let him, and didn't want to be a distraction. Though he would pull Sam away if he stopped being a human. Take him out for ice cream. Cuddle with movies in Sam's bed. Yep, Sam really should have seen the signs. Not that he was in love with Cas.

 

"Jess, I think I'm in love with Cas." 

She didn't look up from her coffee where she sat across the table of the coffee shop from him. "Really? Say it isn't so. I don't think I believe you."

Sam sighed. "Jess, I'm serious." 

Jess put her cup down then and reached across the table to take his hand. "I know. You've been in love with Cas since you were twelve years old, Sam." 

He laughed ruefully, dropping his head to the table. "What do I do, Jess?" 

Her answer was prompt. "Tell him." 

"What?!" Sam asked, his head snapping up. "I can't do that! 'Oh, by the way, Cas, I've been in love with you for half my life, hope you don't mind', that'll go over well." 

"Why do you think everyone that's ever met the two of you thought you were together? Why do you think Charlie and Dean have bets going as to how long you've been fucking?" Sam spluttered at that "You share a bed, Sam. You hold hands and cuddle and go first to each other when somethings wrong. You love him, and he loves you, and not just in the best friend way. In the 'I would enjoy having sex with you way." Jess stood up, and set her cup down as if to make a point. "I don't care how you tell him, whether you give him flowers or make out with him or just bloody say it. You love your best friend, Sam, you always have. Well, it's time to add being In love with your best friend." She walked to the trash can to throw away her cup. 

Sam gaped after her. Jess turned and waved to him, then held her hand up to her ear and mouthed 'Call me'. He was so screwed. 

 

When asked later, Sam would say he really didn't know if he would have succeeded in telling Cas his feelings if not for one thing, and that was Dean. 

Sam got home that night tired and nervous, but Cas was working late. He flopped onto his, or rather Cas' and his bed, and pulled out his phone. Dean. Dean would know what to do-

The phone started ringing his hand. And it was by some miracle, his brother was the one calling. 

"Dean? Did you read my mind or something?" 

"Huh?" Dean asked. "No, man, I have something to tell you." 

"What?" Sam asked, heart racing. Was it something about Cas? "What is it? Are you okay? Is Cas okay? Mom? Dad?" He sat up, already reaching for his shoes. 

"Sam, no, calm down. This is good news." He said, enunciating. "Good." 

Sam relaxed, falling back onto the bed, and noticing Cas' tee shirt laying there. He resisted the urge to smell it. "Okay. What's up?"

"Lisa." 

Sam started again. "Lisa? It's been years since we've seen her? How is she?" 

He could hear the smile in his brother's voice. "She's good Sam. We're- we're dating." 

Sam's mouth fell open. "What?! When did this happen?!" 

"I was going to tell you, hold your horses. About a mouth ago, Garth called and said he had met Lisa and apparently she wanted to talk to me. So he gave me her address, and I drove. And it's amazing, Sammy. She's the same, though life's hit her pretty hard. She had some rough years, and I wasn't there. But seeing her, talking to her. It's like it used to be. And I wanted to start over, do right by her this time. Her, and Ben. And she wanted that too. We just made it official." 

Sam felt happiness spilling over for his brother. He had loved Lisa, he really had. And now, it turned out he still did. Sam had never seen him that way with any of his other girlfriends or hook ups. Then what Dean had said fully registered. "Ben? Dean, who is Ben." 

"Her son." Dean said, sounding thrilled. "He's seven." 

Sam choked. "Her son?! God, Dean, is he yours?!" 

"Wait, what?" Dean asked, sounding confused. "No, no. Some douchebag boyfriend she had after me, left her when he found out about the baby. That's why she dropped out of college. It was horrible for her, being a single mother. But she did it. She's that strong. Ben's amazing, Sammy." 

"That great, Dean." Sam said, and he meant it. "That's really great. I can't wait to see her." 

Dean started to ramble on about them. When Sam heard the apartment door opening, and Cas calling out he was home, Sam stopped Dean. "I expect full details later, but I have to go make a declaration of love at the moment." 

Dean let him say goodbye.

 

Sam almost ran into the kitchen where Cas was unloading the groceries. He skidded to a stop. Now what? 

"Hey, Cas." He said, not moving, though this was the time where he would normally hug Cas or pat him on the back. 

Cas turned around, smiling at him. "Hello, Sam." His faced turned worried when Sam just stood there, phone dangling from his fingers. "Are you alright?" 

"Yeah, yeah." Sam said, recovering himself and hugging Cas. "Guess what just happened?" 

 

After Sam had told him about Dean, Lisa, and Ben, Cas was grinning again. 

"And he told you first, I'm hurt," Cas joked. Sam was still nervous, fidgeting the whole time. This was a lot harder then movies made it seem. When Sam didn't say anything, Cas stepped closer to him. "Are you sure you're al-" He started, but Sam chose that moment to blurt out with: 

"I love you." He was staring at Cas, almost shaking. What would he do if Cas rejected him? How could he live without his best friend? Without the man he loved? 

Cas only cocked his head. "I love you too, Sam. But you don't seem to be well-" 

"No." Sam, said, turning and pacing the room. "No, I mean, Cas-" He turned back, unable to say this without looking Cas in the eye. "I'm in love with you." 

The room went dead silent. Cas stared at Sam, with a mix of things Sam couldn't name in his eyes. Sam turned away, tugging on his arm. He was an idiot, a horrible, terrible idiot. What had made him tell Cas that? He was going to ruin their friendship. He was going to break everything. 

Sam heard Cas' heavy foot falls on the floor, before the shorter man whirled him around. Sam had a split second to wonder if Cas was going to hit him, before Cas' hot mouth was pressed to his. And Cas was kissing him. Cas was kissing Sam. On the mouth. Passionately. 

Sam finally go with the program enough to grip Cas' slender hips and actually kiss him back, and oh, oh, Cas was kissing Sam like it was the most important thing he had ever done, clutching tightly to the front of his shirt. 

When they pulled away to gasp in breath, Sam gasped out, "Cas?" 

"I'm in love with you too." Cas replied, before slotting their mouths together again. "Now shut up and kiss me, we have a lot of time to make up for." Sam would have laughed, but all he could do was kiss back, just as desperately. 

 

Sam called Jess later that night while Cas was in the shower, the room dark excect for the laptop screen glowing. Sam and Cas were going to watch a movie when Cas got out. 

She was thrilled about them and wanted to know if he had told Dean yet, because if he hadn't, she was going to, and she was also going to tell Charlie and everyone else she could think of. 

"How do you know Charlie anyway?" Sam asked. "I didn't think you two talked a lot outside of when you hang out with me hanging out with Dean and his crew."  

"We talk a lot, actually." Jess said, sounding smug. That sent the alarm bells ringing. Jess and Charlie plotting together could never be good. 

"Since when?" He asked  suspiciously. 

"Since I dumped my boyfriend. We hang out an awful lot."

Sam gasped. "Jess, are you having sex with Charlie?" 

"Oh, got to go. Ta!" She called, and hung up. 

Sam pulled his phone off his ear and stared at it. Cas came in a moment later, and looked at him with amusement. "What did Jess say that has you looking so terrified?" His hair was wet, and wearing loose sweat pants, the same look as when Sam had tackled him outside the shower all those years ago. 

"I think Jess and Charlie are hooking up. Regularly." Cas laughed, coming down to sit on the bed, where Sam promptly kissed him because he was irresistibly hot. "Well, I think they're perfect for each other." 

Sam shook his head, kissing Cas again, just because he could. "Exactly. Those two are going to take over the world." He was fond though. 

"Lets not dwell on them for now, Sam. We have a movie to watch." 

"Right." Sam grinned. "Beauty and the Beast okay?" 

Cas curled himself into Sam's side, nuzzling his neck. "Yes. It's perfect. You're perfect." 

Sam tightened his arms around his boyfriend. He had Cas. And Cas had him. He had finally acted, with much pushing, it was true. But he had acted, and here they were, where they had always been supposed to be. Loving each other.  
 


	5. Ending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And it's done! But for the Editer's Epilogue to the Epilogue, which will be posted as a separate work.

"You ready?" Sam asked, looking at his husband for answer. Cas was breathing heavily, but he was grinning too. "As ready as I'll ever be. I didn't think we'd be so nervous, we've already done this before." 

"It'll probably be nerve-wracking every time," Sam said, straightening Cas' tie. Cas raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you implying something?" 

Sam laughed, kissing Cas quickly before straightening his own coat. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves here. We'll be fine. And then afterwards, lunch with Dean, Lisa and Ben." Cas smiled again, hugging Sam before a small hand tugged on his coat. "Daddy, Papa, c'mon on! I want to meet my brother!" 

Cas lifted their daughter into his arms, holding her against his side. "Yes, sweetheart, I know. We're going to get him now, but you have to wait with the nice lady at the desk while we finish signing all the grownup papers, and then you can meet him, okay love?" 

Bethany nodded solemnly. She was three years old, and always tried to imitate her parents, especially Cas. They had adopted her a year ago, from the same agency they were adopting her brother at. They hadn't met him yet, but he was a baby, and had been given up for adoption. The agency was friendly towards same sex couples, and tried to place children into homes that would work well with them. They also brought in children from other countries. 

"Alright, lets go." Sam said, taking Beth while Cas grabbed the keys and they headed downtown to the agency. When they got there, they left Beth in the waiting room, and went to finish the papers. 

When Sam and Cas finally finished, their son was brought out. He six months old, and looked around inquisitively. Sam rocked the baby back and forth, "He's beautiful. What should we call him, Cas?" 

Cas took the baby's little hand. "He is beautiful." Cas agreed. "Can we call him Clarence?" Sam smiled softly. "He looks like a Clarence. C'mon, Clarence, let's go meet your sister." 

 

Cas helped Beth hold Clarence, her chubby arms wrapped around him. "What's his name, Daddy?" She asked Cas. "Clarence, baby." Cas said, kissing her cheek. After they left the agency, Sam called Dean. "You ready to meet your nephew?" 

"Hell yeah. Lisa, Ben and I are already at the club. Get down here so I can see him." 

 

When they got the club, Dean ran up from the seats to embrace Sam, and then Cas, picking up Beth and whirling her around till she was laughing. He turned his eyes on Clarence, and Cas placed the infant in his arms. "Aw, hey, hey." Dean murmured to him. The baby cooed a little at how much attention he was getting. It was then that Sam saw Charlie and Jess, grinning at him from the booth. Sam laughed. "Jess! Char!" 

They ran up to hug him and Cas, and coo over Clarence. Charlie picked up Beth. "And how's the growing girl, hmm?" Beth giggled, and held on to her as they all went to sit down. Sam smiled around at all of them, his two children, his husband, brother, best friends, nephew, sister in law. The only ones missing were his parents and Bobby, but they had insisted Sam and Cas come down ASAP after they adopted the baby. Sam had his people. His life. This was what he wanted, had always wanted. 

"I love you." He whispered. To Cas. To Beth. To Clarence. To Dean, Lisa, Ben, Jess, and Charlie. To his parents. To them all. Cas looked at him and smiled. 

"We do too."  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for everyone who's supported me through this, and being patience when it took me a while. Many things to my wonderful editor, TeamFreeWillAlways

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are to me as pie is to Dean Winchester.


End file.
